Egypt: Society in New Kingdom Egypt during the Ramesside Period
New Kingdom - continuity and change
Dyn 19-------- dyn 20 end of NK
power un decline
*Pharaoh - challenges to power
*Army
*Amun
*Empire
*Building programs
decline in resources indication of economic decline
Q. How did the lives of the Deir El Medina villagers change in the 20th dyn?
19th
20th
- Horemheb additions to D el M
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES
- began in prosperity
- RIII's reign: not paid strike- ongoing, 
- paid by pharaoh
further indicator of economic decline
- engaged in independent economic trade
- tomb robberies - people became desperate in
troubled economic times as well as decline in
authority of the K
- (historical debate: workers took part in tomb
robberies?)  trials
- safety of villagers. raids by desert tribes - take
refuge at Medinet Habu
Contrast sign features of the dyn 19 & 20 in the Ramesside period.
1. Egypt
2. Foreign affairs
3. Thebes
1. In the late 20th dyn there are clear signs that the K's power was in decline. After the reign of Ram
VI there were no more expeditions to the Sinai and no further evidence of E's sphere of influence over
Palestine. From the western Delta and the oasis region, Libyans continued to infiltrate and settle; they
entered the outskirts of Thebes and their raids on the farms and settlements there terrified the
inhabitants (EVIDENCE told by ppl of D el M ). This fear was heightened by E's internal disorder.
By the time of Ram XI, it was apparent that lawlessness in E had reached the stage where the
tombs of the K in the secret valley of kings had been robbed and desecrated. And although attempts
were made to bring the guilty to trial, robbery increased. Even the Kings son of Kush tried to assert
himself rebelling against the K (Ram X and XI)
At the conclusion of the 20th dyn, the high priest of Thebes had succeeded in establishing their
own descendants as K's of E (in effect controlling Upper Egypt). E's internal weakness invited foreign
conquest, and this was not long in materialising.
POSITION OF K IN RAM PERIOD
Q Explain the position of the pharaoh in the Ramesside period
- find at least 3 ancient sources
- find at least 2 secondary sources that could be used
- generalisations qualify (adjust fit ram period)
- evidence of continuity and change
- sources Dyn 19 and 20  ancient and modern
* had absolute power over subjects - "the good god, the strong one whom men praise, the lord, in
whom men make their boat…" (Hymn to Ram II)
* embodiment both of earthly and divine authority - regarded as a god- after death of Rameses I he
was honoured as a god and his son/successor Sety, promoted his cult - Callendar notes that it was in
Sety's interests to perpetuate his father's cult as the origins of the family were not royal
* Attempted to show their unquestioned right to their position - RAM II had scenes of his divine birth
inscribed on the walls of the Ramesseum
* Policy of extending boundaries of E in Nubia and Near EAst, later K's entrenched the idea of K as
warrior  by end of Dyn 20 the K had given up any pretence of Near eastern dominance. Wenamuns
narrative - It was Herihor , not the pahraoh who had the resources sent to Egpyt
* By reign of Ram XI, K no longer took part in the great festivals on the westbank and Karnak
* Sety I, issued edicts(orders) with threats/warnings - "As for anyone who shall avert the face from the
command of Osiris, Osiris shall pursue him, Isis shall pursue his wife…" (Temple of Osiris)
* at the apex of E's religious/social structure
*main duty maintain mat
* after reign of RamII, there was a decline in power, thus absolute power was challenged.
* policy of giving honours to several gods did not stop the growth in cult of Amun - (Wilson compares
amounts of gold in tombs of different cults - most found in cult of Amun) - reserves held vast amounts
of materials: high preist of Amun took contol of upper Egypt
* Ramesseum - Ram III - account of battle of Kadesh
*By the end of 20th dyn the high priest of Amun was fulfilling the Pharaoh's role - festivals were being
run when the pharaoh was not present
Source: Kemp
The Great Harris Papyrus of Ram III
* gives full details of all that he had done for the temples of his country during the 31yrs of his reign
* If figures of temple revenues are compared, it is evident that under the 20th Dyn Amun of Thebes
possessed much greater amounts of prosperity than the other three recipients; Ptah Memphis, Re
Heliopolis, lesser gods
* Although NK temples possessed their own labourers (often prisoners of war / war captives) much
temple land appears to have been farmed on a complex rented basis (with up to 30% of crop paid to
temple in rent
Wilbur Papyrus
* reveals a picture of temple land subdivided into an elaborate tapestry of holdings - cultivated by 
temple agents  pple in E society  farmers cultivating on own behalf  priests  soldiers  vizier
Economic Decline 20th dyn
* Nothing was sacred- temple grain supplies quietly siphoned off, tombs were robbed, temple equip
and fittings were plundered
* Tomb robbery attracted people of mainly low status, however, less arduous forms of theft and
dishonest drew in the officials as well
Temple Town Economy
*Temples were the economic basis of E  stored donations, war booty, tribute [from E's "Empire"],
grain.
 employed vast numbers of staff
 Acted as "landlords" - leasing their land to farmers
 employed services of traders- Shuty: gave their surplus wealth to Shuty to barter along the Nile in
return for extra commodities that the temple needed, Shuty unpopular, some involved in tomb robbery
 "middlemen" - Never became wealthy
 paid rent for use of land belonging to other temples or khato land (K's agricultural estates
 paid tax to central gov't
 could be closed by P at any time
 in emergencies, resources used by the state
* ordinary people were free to 'sell' any extra goods they produced at riverbank markets  bartered
for extra food, livestock, slaves or land
Foreign Trade
*based on exchange
1. Trading with partners: e.g. Syria/Palestine, Kush, punt - Egyptian representatives negotiated
mutually acceptable exchanges to gain most exotic products
2. More sophisticated countries: Egypt gained necessities - copper Cyprus, olive oil Crete
3. Superpowers: Babylonia, Assyria, Hittites - E exchanged 'gifts'
* Egypt had access to valuable resources from its own environment and from tribute paid by vassal
states
* Every Year temples grew/filled with treasures paid to E as "tribute" from lesser countries  Used
for self and foreign trade
Deir el Medina
* Tomb scenes from Ipuy show workers unloading a grain barge using sacks of grain to buy fish and
vegetables from village women
* small vilage: in contact with senior offivcials and wealthy clienrts
* exchanged goods with each other and outsiders
*Water carriers (peasanrs) were provided for the villagfe as there was no nearby natural water source
Valley of the K's - describe
* Place of P's burial in NKE/ ram period
*Natural wadi - carved out over millions of years
* in Western Thebes
* Cliffs that surround the tomb are made of limestone  cliffs cut tombs out of
*hidden - isolated - beyond the Nile
* Each tomb announced by a door
Role of Q's
* Consort of the K
* symbolically was the semi divine counterpart - shared divinity paralleling the myth of K'ship as Isis
counterpart to Osirus
* Main duty: Provide heir to throne
* During RP there were number of prominent Q's. Q Nefertari(Ram II) position reflected Ram
devotion/love of wife rather than a more general political(political importance) of Q
* diplomatic relation with Hittites  Twosret end of Dyn 19 decline
* Q's always able to exercise political power
- role of regent  Twosret seen in the dyn confusion from dyn 19-20 - depicted in regalia of Kship
*prime/central place was within the royal harem
* Ram III Q (lesser) Tiy - ambitions for power - involvement in assassination attempt
Significance of Amun
* Post Amarna period - primacy of Amun as god of Gods is restored and central of the religion of the
Ramesside Period
* Position of Amun is promoted by activities of the Ramesside period
* Building programs at Karnak and festivals (Opet and Valley) show the continuing prominence of
Amun
* Amun is central to NK kingship
* kneeling K is both making offerings and receiving blessing from Amun.
* Continues to be essential in legitimisation of pharaoh
* Post Amarna response - give more attention to other god (HIST DEBATE)  Harris papyrus shows
this argument is not supported by the historical record _(Ptah Memphis, Re Heliopolis, Amun Karnak)
*Ultimately -events of the end of dyn 20 - the challenge to K was the HP of Amun
Occupations
*The country was essentially agricultural and the great mass of the ppl were field workers
-list and briefly describe
*The working class
*Scribal - Secretaries, Clerks - kept careful records, especially in matters relating to taxatio ans state
admin
*Artists, Crafts ppl - Sculptors, jewellers, carpenters, stone mason, painter - highly skilled 
employed in K's workshops
*Bakers, fishermen, potters, herdsmen,